Every Day Carry Kit (EDC)

After I completed making my BugOut Bag (BOB), a Get Out of Dodge bag (GOOD), and a Get Home Kit (GHK), I realized there was one more scenario that needed to be addressed – suppose I need help or need to get home or to my car and I’m without my BOB, GOOD, or my GHK? What if all I had for survival was whatever I had on my person, in my pockets? With this new scenario in mind, I searched for ideas. I found some information on a few survival-related blogs and on several YouTube videos.

What I learned was that there is a name for this type of survival gear – it’s called Every Day Carry (EDC) because it is carried with you whenever you leave the house. I also learned that EDC is as varied as BOBs, GOOD bags, and GHKs because each of us has different needs and those needs change, . IOW, my EDC would be a work-in-progress throughout my life just as my BOB, GOOD bag, and GHK are.

What good is EDC if there is so little to it? Good question (if I do say so myself), let’s look at a couple of emergency scenarios.

Scenario 1) Suppose you’ve gone trout fishing up the Snake River in Idaho and you slip on a wet rock and break a leg. You can’t crawl to your truck because it’s 2 miles away – uphill. You can’t use your cell phone because you’re in a canyon and there is no signal. What are you going to do?

Scenario 2: Or imagine you’re in San Francisco on the 10th floor of an office building when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake collapses the structure. You survive the initial disaster, but now you’re trapped with a heavy file cabinet on your chest and a bad slice on your noggin. What do you do?

If you have your EDC in your pocket or purse or around your waist or in your vest, you can do lots of things to help yourself. In Scenario #1, you could take out your whistle and blow it, hoping somebody else on the river will hear you and come to investigate. Or you could use your flashlight as a signalling device at night when a rescue plane flies overhead. Or you could start a fire with your fire making kit. Now you can stay warm and keep predators away, as well as signal aircraft with it.

In Scenario #2, you can use your whistle to signal the rescue crew so they can find you in the rubble. (You can use a whistle even when your chest is crushed by a file cabinet.) Or you could shine your flashlight in their direction if they are searching in the dark. You could even use your knife blade to cut off a piece of your clothing to stem the flow of blood from the head laceration.

My personal EDC consists of various little tools hooked onto a couple of keyrings, as well as my wallet, my car keys, house keys, and my cellphone. The wallet and car keys go into my right front pants pocket where I can get to them easily – I’m right handed and frequently need to get to my wallet and car keys. In my left front pants pocket are my house keys, EDC-specific tools, and my cellphone – things I need less frequently. EDC consists of anything you carry with you whenever you leave your home or your car.

It consists of things you have with you at the time of an emergency, whether the original intent was for survival or not. For example, let’s say you are walking down the street in your hometown when a gas station explodes two blocks away. You don’t get seriously injured from the initial blast, but you feel hot ash falling from the sky and hitting you on the head. You have your pocket knife, keys, cellphone, flashlight, and other typical EDC gear, but you also have a briefcase because you’re a salesman and you were on your way to contact a customer.

Your briefcase could be considered part of your EDC gear because you carry it with you almost every time you leave your home. So now you use it to shield your head from hot ashes. It enabled you to stay relatively unharmed while you sought the safety of your car, which is two blocks farther from the explosion site.

EDC is your most intimate and basic survival aid. It is with you whenever you leave your home or vehicle. It becomes as much a part of your daily routine as putting on your shoes. It isn’t everything you’ll need, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s a set of tools needed for dealing with your immediate and very personal emergency. It’s not the end-all survival kit, instead it’s meant to get you to a better situation so you can survive longterm. It’s like a first aid kit, it’s not intended to provide anything except quick and immediate assistance. And just like a first aid kit, EDC could save your life.

Photo 1 EDC Kit

Photo #1 – These are my EDC gear, shown the way I carry them in my pockets. Starting at the top of the photo with my Car Keys with Remote and going clockwise: Cellphone; Yellow Trifold Wallet; keyring (I refer to this keyring as my “tool ring”) with Green Mini Multitool; Silver Medication Tube Vault, Gold-tone Money Tube Vault, Green Whistle, Red Victorinox Knife, Green & Black 1-:LED Flashlight, Black 4-Purpose Tool; on another keyring (I refer to this keyring as my “house key ring”), which is attached to the tool ring, are – House Keys and Blue Mini Maglite.

Photo #2 – These are my EDC gear opened up to show their specific components. Starting at the top of the photo with my Car Keys with Remote (Your car’s remote control device can be very useful in an emergency, With it you can locate your car by honking the horn or flashing the lights and you can also use it to get attention if you are unable to reach your whistle or yell for help.), and going clockwise: Basic Cellphone; Yellow Trifold Wallet with cash and large bandaid (as well as the usual stuff which I didn’t want to show for Opsec reasons); on the Tool Keyring are: Green Mini Multi-Tool with pliers, 1-LED flashlight, saw blade, knife blade, can opener with standard screwdriver tip, and awl with sewing eye; Silver Medication Tube Vault with a day’s supply of prescription meds; Gold-tone Money Tube Vault with $20.00 bill; Red Victoronix Knife with scissors, tweezers, knife blade, and file; Green & Black 1-LED flashlight with strobe option; Black 4-Purpose Tool composed of 1-whistle, 1-compass, 1-magnifying glass, and 1-thermometer (on back side); attached to the Tool Ring is the House Key Ring consisting of my House Keys and a Blue Mini Maglite.

Photo 2 EDC Kit

With these items I have 3 ways to signal with sounds, 3 ways to signal with lights, 2 sources of cash, 2 knife blades, several other small tools, a communication device, and a bandage for minor injury.

This is just the beginning of my EDC. I intend to change things and add things as I learn from others and as I experiment with it, Already I realize I need a few matches or a small lighter (perhaps the Peanut Lighter) and some Duct Tape would be good to have. I think I can wrap some DT around the metal case of the Mini Maglight.

What would you suggest I do to improve my EDC? What do you have in your EDC? How do you carry your EDC? I’ve seen people use something as small as an Altoid tin, or something like I use – keyrings and pocket-size devices, and other preppers use things as large as a softside briefcase. What works best for you, and why?

Please post your comments, suggestions, and ideas below. And you are invited to show your own EDC photos (M.D. Adds: Photos of your EDC kits will be posted next week, send to mdcreekmore (at) thesurvivalistblog (dot) net.

Comments

Great post, LintPicker! I have a cellphone and some change in my left front pocket; in my right front pocket a keychain with multi-tool and mini-flashlight, and a small Case pocketknife; in my right back pocket my billfold; and in my left backpocket a flat plastic box with waterproof matches and some dryer lint. You gave me some new ideas. Thanks!

One word of caution, carrying anything thicker tha 1/4 inch in a back pocket could lead to sciatic nerve problems in the future. I used to carry my wallet in my back pocket and now I have sciatica and it’s a pain in the arse – literally.

I always carry my glock 26 with a 15 round mag on my right hip a 17 rd spare mag on my belt, a knife in my left front pocket clipped on, a small led flashlight (wolf eyes) in my left front pocket, my keys in my right front pocket which has a mini multi tool (like yours), my cell phone on my belt. I need to start with carrying some form of matches/lighter, great idea.

Captcha code? eh. LintPicker: Thanks… gonna add a jr. multitool to my key chain along with a button led. I carry a small pocket knief in each of my coat/jacket pockets…. will change em out for a quality multitool as well.

A good quality mini-multitool is something I need to get, too. The one I currently have is OK, but it’s not particularly sturdy and I would not want to trust my life to it. And trusting my life to it is exactly what I might have to do someday. So, you are absolutely right about getting a QUALITY multitool. The one I have right now came from Cabela’s and it cost $3.33.

I cary a leather man wave (it has evrey thing that I think I would nead in a survival sichuation) ; 2 folders with a thum stud ; wallet with no more than $40 in it ( u don’t want to get robed and have a lot of mony taken ) ; and in my wave pouch I ceep &100 cash for emergence ; and a few other things

Jason, sometimes I carry a small Beretta .22short, but it is only good for scaring away snakes and not much more. Since I don’t want to get a CCW in my state, I forgo the gun and instead carry a very mean mouth. LOL

Hey, just wanted to let you know that between your previous article about saving seeds and one of the links MD provided about container gardening, I will start a little “garden” this weekend while the weather is great. It will be fun to see how green my thumb is. Thanks for the inspiration.

Wow, you might as well give the gun away. What good will it do you if you truly need it and it just stays in your truck? Polite society will just barely stay that way for three days, and then it will be chaos. Why wouldn’t you want extra protection? Guns jam and believe me I would want extra ones to protect my family and what is mine.

One thing you might consider is having each of your tools on a separate key ring and then hold all of rings on a carabiner. This way you can quickly detach the ONE tool you will be working with and keep all the other tools on the carbiner. You will also need a more substantial knife, a good folder can also be used as a pry bar. When you consider your source of fire a peanut lighter is a great choice. Be sure the lighter has a flat bottom so it will stand upright on its own. I hope that helps

Richard K, you are absolutely correct – I need a better folder (knife). There are so many to choose from these days that it will take some dedicated research. I really need to get going on that and thank you for the reminder.

As for the carabiner and the separate keyrings, that wouldn’t work for me. They would provide far too much bulk in my pocket. Using a carabiner on my belt loop creates too much noise (“hear that jingle, jangle, jingle”). For now, I’ll stick with my current arrangement. Although, separate keyrings for tools may work well for some of you younger folks.

I wear a wristwatch with hands (not digital) on my right wrist (I’m left handed). I carry cash generally from 1 – 40 dollars in my right front pocket and change, cell phone, random paper (i.e. notes etc.). 4″ Kershaw folding blade in right back pocket with wallet which contains normal wallet stuff. My front left pocket is the most versatile. In it on every day (except a really bad one) a pilot easytouch pen, a flash drive, Burt’s bees lip balm (which has many uses besides lip balming. you can grease up anything that needs to be greased. maybe not ideal substance but better than nothing), and one bic lighter if not two. Occasionally that pocket may also contain a p38 can opener (since having a leatherman, I don’t carry p38s as religiously as i used to), a hair comb, elastic hair ties, or a guitar pick. Back left pocket has key chain with a couple decorative but not coincidentally sharp metal ornaments, and a drum key. I carry my leatherman in the sheath it came with on my belt except when I wear overalls and then it rides in my chest pocket.

In the winter months, my jacket pockets contain dog leash, princeton tec “Fuel” LED headlamp, phone charger, hobo tool (multi-tool from walmart with spoon, fork, knife, corkscrew, canopener), and warm gloves or glove/mitten combo where the glove fingers are cut off and the mitten part flips back for when you need your fingers (happens often being human and everything). In the summer months, the dog leash and sometimes the phone charger find their way into my pants pockets. The other jacket contents are more likely to be in a backpack somewhere.

I would suggest hanging the items onto a real, steel carabiner (not those colorful aluminum ones). I actually have the Kershaw carabiner tool. The other thing is to get one of those fake credit cards or a rewards card and carefully wrap several yards of duct tape to it.

I agree, if you’re going to get a carabiner, get a good one. If your carabiner breaks because it was a cheap one, then everything is lost and you’re up a creek without a…well, you’re just up a creek.

The duct tape wrapped on an old rewards card or old gift card is safer, in my opinion, than using an old credit card. Here’s why: if you lose your card and it’s an old credit card, a bad person could steal the info from the card and attempt to defraud your account. If, however, you use a card that cannot be traced back to you, then all you’re out is some duct tape.

My EDC is much simpler, you definitely have a lot more bases covered than me. Mine has a SAK Mini-Champ with scales removed for less space, a Streamlight Nano flashlight, BSA spark rod, additional spark rod w/ magnesium JB weld attachment and thats it. Used to have a small fob with pill chamber, but it got in the way.

I have very few occasions to go into high rises here, and my truck has a kit that except for water carrying (and I’m taking care of that thanks to Survival Resources water bag order as we speak), I feel somewhat comfortable with what I have. I always keep at least a gallon of drinking water there. I keep a small stash of food at my work station, nothing huge but two or three days of non refrigeration, non cook foods like canned chicken / tuna in case I forget to bring lunch.

My pocket first-aid kit is the one that saved my hide on one occasion that could have been an emergency. You can find the container for these at pharmacies and department stores. They are about the height and width of my wallet but one forth the thickness.

I have a good first aid kit at home and in my car, but was caught once with neither of these available (turns out not everyone keeps a first aid kit in their car).

I have a bunch of other mini-pocket-stuff that is more routine (cell phone, leatherman tool, lighter, flashlight, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, pen & post-its). The Kleenex also bailed me out once when I got caught without TP!

WOW! Jeff, sounds like you have firsthand experience regarding the importance of your EDC. Good thing you had a pocket first aid kit with you. I am going to add a few steri-strips (butterfly sutures) to my wallet, thanks for mentioning them. As for the tissue, I sometimes carry those little wet-nap things and a couple of those could work in a pinch.

You raise another good point, Jeff, anybody who doesn’t carry at least a rudimentary first aid kit in his/her vehicle is really taking a big risk, IMHO. That kit could help others and it could help you or your loved ones. PLEASE, if you do nothing else, get and carry a first aid kit – make it dedicated to your car. Get another one for your home. It really could be the difference between living or dying, between losing a finger or not. Better to have it and not use it than to need it and not have it.

I usually have one of the small packs of facial tissues. Have never needed them for TP, nor even thought about it. Perhaps it’s time to carry a few more and a few wet naps. Not having them could make a more awkward situation than I had considered.

Not really, the Leatherman (with accompanying toolbox), sm. flashlight, Buck knife, and med. supplies all fit on my belt. The lighter, med. flashlight, other pocketknife, etc. all are in my pockets. It doesn’t feel uncomfortable, and doesn’t look like I’m carrying around a baseball. That doesn’t include my massive keyring, and not-so-massive wallet.

I haven’t seen one of those things. Is it something like the “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” device? For many people a personal/panic alarm could be a good idea – perhaps especially for the ladies and the elderly.

I’ve seen 90Db models at both Big Lots and Dollar Tree in the past. They are extremely loud. They typically are a keychain with a lanyard connected to a pin (like a grenade). Pull the pin and the thing emits a loud tone until you re-insert the pin.
In one of the classes I teach there was a suggestion for women with purses to carry two of them. One on your belt or otherwise attached to the clothing as an alarm. The other one attached firmly to the purse, with the lanyard attached to the body. If someone snatches the purse, they will be trying to escape with a very loud purse, attracting attention they probably didn’t bargain for.
As for Pepper Spray and Mace, both may be regulated like firearms. Check your local laws. If legal and you decide to use this option, get one of the kits that also contain an inert version for practice. Like any defensive tool, you need to practice to learn to use it effectively and safely. While not lethal like a gun or knife, you would not want it taken from you and used on you.

As for the pepper spray, the local bicycle shop sells it to bike riders in order to keep dogs away and it will pretty much work for other aggressive beasts as well (2 or 4 legs) – except Grizzly bears. I bought a canister of it this afternoon and was assured it would work without causing permanent damage. Don’t know how far it will spray, so I’ll give it a try sometime soon. It was relatively inexpensive, so if it shoots over 5 feet, I’ll get another can. Oh, and this stuff doesn’t require a permit since it’s for “dogs.”

Yes, excellent tips on the personal alarms/protection. Lots of people focus on survival, but sometimes they forget that they might have to defend themselves as well. My sister was held up at gunpoint in Washington D.C. a few months ago. Before her assailant could advance, she pulled out the mace she always carries in hand when walking home and sprayed him square in the face. He took off running like a baby and she was OK. Granted, it’s not the best idea to go after someone who is pointing a gun at you (“bringing a knife to a gunfight”), but I think being ballsy and having SOMETHING on hand to defend herself probably saved her life. Lots of criminals bank on the victim being too afraid or timid to fight back. If you can’t carry a gun in your EDC, I think mace or a personal alarm is a pretty good alternative.

It’s my understanding that pepper spray is legal in all 50 states, as long as it’s used for self-defense. Some states (NY and MA) have laws regarding where you can buy mace/pepper spray, some require permits, and others (MI) only allow special state formulas to be sold. Make sure you do your research before you buy.

I like the triple action sprays–combo of OC pepper, CN tear gas, and UV dye. Really disables the assailant and marks them for easier identification later on.

“Lots of criminals’ bank on the victim being too afraid or timid to fight back”. This is absolutely true. They are the predator and you are the prey and will do as you’re told is their only mindset, with no real plan B. When they realize that the sheep they’re attacking turns out to be a sheepdog that bites back, more often than not you at least gain the element of surprise, and that moment of surprise and confusion is the time you need to strike back hard, or flee, depending on the circumstances.

I carry a small FA kit, GPS, flashlight, $100 emergency money, cell phone and keys in my purse. larger FA kit and other survival gear in my car. The problem I ran into was that I substitute at the public schools and can not have my jackknife or pepper spray on school property. So even in my car is a problem. Any suggestions? I hate leaving stuff at home. My other issue is how to carry water in my car in New England?

Instead of carrying a knife to school (or leaving one in your car while there) have you considered a nail file with a sharp pointy end on it? Or perhaps large nail clippers? Nail clippers sometimes have a nail file as well as clippers. This way you’ll have something that can be used as a stabbing tool without being obvious and also a snipping tool. Not ideal, but perhaps better than nothing.

If you leave bottled water in your car in New England in the winter, I presume it would freeze and that’s your concern? You could get yourself a couple of Nalgene water bottles (made in the USA and very sturdy, they come in several colors and I can vouch for them since I own several) and fill them only about 2/3 full. If they freeze, there is still enough room in the bottle for the water to expand without breaking the container.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I love this site. I think the nail file would work the best for me and I could probably knock someone out cold if I swung my purse at them.
I did chase a purse snatcher once after he grabbed my mother-in-law’s purse at the train station. How dumb was that? That was before I took a RAD course, got a permit for pepper spray and took the handgun course.

Barbara – I’d leave all your ‘sensitive’ items in your car, the chances of them searching you car are slim to none (unless it smells like marijuana – lol, yes, it happened to me once when I bought a used car).

Best improvised weapon for schools, federal buildings, airports, etc.: Take a quality carribiner and connect with 6-8 inches of braided 550 cord with a loop on the end. The loop can connect to an aluminum water bottle or heavy set of keys and makes a tremendous old fashion club or mace type of contact weapon with the carribiner as the handle.

If you generally carry pens, pencils, & markers, like the Sharpie, you can mix one of these Sharkie markers into the pile and most folks won’t even notice it. It’s a hide in plain sight kind of thing.http://www.coldsteel.com/sharkies.html

Barbara, if you get a can of Bee Bopper (bee spray) and keep it in your car when working at the school, you will have something that will suffice as a legal yet defensive “weapon” because it shoots a spray of chemical about 10 feet and will blind an attacker for several minutes. Plus, it works great on wasps. If anybody asks about it (doubtful), just tell them you have a wasp/yellowjacket/fly problem at your house and forgot to take the can into the house.

Jack,
Oh well. Every good thing must end. It appears that the pen in the article had an aluminum core which showed up on the X-ray. The Sharkie is all plastic like its Sharpie counterpart, but 3 or 4 times thicker material, & possibly enough to be detected as an anomaly on the X-ray also. I guess I’ll just stick to my Sharpies and some sharp #2 pencils and go for the soft tissue areas if required. Thanks for the information & the link.

My wife heard that you can use hair spray as a mace substitute. I can’t vouch for it, but its certainly unobtrusive. Wasp spray is also effective, I’ve heard. Can’t vouch for that either, but I know I’d avoid getting it in my eyes.

Barbara – you might consider having a lock box built into the frame of your car – ours fits under a back seat and because it is out of sight and locked there have been no issues – we also keep our memory stick with e-copies of all our important documents in it. So unless the school is doing the portable x-ray of your vehicle no one would ever know.

Need:
Another type of fire-starter/lighter
Cordage – I have 550 cord, but don’t like things dangling off me, and don’t like bracelets, watches, etc.
First Aid products – Sometimes I carry two of the smallest o.b. tampons in the crease of my wallet, but it is a little too bulky. (o.b. has no applicator – use for 1st aid, fire-starter, or in ‘female’ emergency w/wife-daughter)

Holy Cow, Jack, y0u got everything covered. Great collection of gear for your EDC. You carry pepper spray, which is something I have been contemplating. It could work for lots of defensive uses: as you use it for keeping other canines away from your dogs, or for spraying at snakes (I have a real thing about snakes!), for human predators of course, and for keeping those darn pesky stray cats out of your veggie garden. (Don’t tell PETA I said that.)

I’m going to check into getting the Leatherman Squirt P4 because it seems to have everything I want, and more. They are good quality micro multitools.

This is the first list I’ve seen to help you get out of the car. All family members carry the Res-Q-Me seat belt cutter and glass breaker tool which fits on your keyring. The driver always knows where to find it in a pinch (in the ignition). IMHO, some tool of this type is essential if you spend ANY TIME in a vehicle.

Glass-breakers and seat belt cutters are very useful, but you have to be careful which one you choose. I know there are some out there that require a lot of pressure to be exerted–be careful not to put your arm through the window and severely injure yourself.

Lock picking tools, huh? LOL I hear that! I am thinking about trying to make some padlock shims just in case I lose my keys during a disaster and I can’t get the locks off my gear boxes. The homemade shims can be made from soda pop cans, or so they say. Or I might just buy some from ebay.

I haven’t had a chance to test the seat belt cutter on the knife yet, so I don’t know if it will work or not. Maybe I’ll run across a junk car one day and someone will let me test it out.

Re: Lock picks. Started out as a hobby and become an obsession. It sure beats trying to figure out how to carry a pair of bolt cutters on your person LOL.

Re: Vest. Nope, I don’t have one but I really want one. I just happened to remember watching that episode when I was reading this thread. It looks like they also make t-shirts and pants that have lots of pockets so that might be more suitable for hot weather.

I carry a Leatherman Core on my belt. Will be looking into making a new belt case for it, to include some of the bulkier EDC items I’d like to have.
Tried various key ring sized Swiss Army knives and multitools but they seemed like a shadow of the real thing.

A flashlight more substantial than the Photon II now on my keyring. I have a Gerber (forget the model) single AA LED flashlight, too bulky for my pocket. And a firestarting pack, with two firestarting methods and some tinder, I figure about twice the size of a waterproof match case. In total, about double the leatherman case size.

No, I gotta say I’ve never seen one of those jackets or vests. I’m going to save my pennies and get one of those travel vests! Way cool! It’s good to see there are similar articles of clothing for women. That would be a very comfortable way to carry a lot of gear and not be noticeable. On the other hand, when it’s hot outside and/or very humid, it might be too much of a good thing.

So, Prepared N.D., do you have one of those jackets or vests yourself? I’d like to get your opinion on them if you do. Thanks for the link.

I watched the YouTube video about the e-vest & the first 3 words of your second sentence summed it up best “It was ridiculous ….. ”

I wasn’t to impressed Ron ‘fat body’ Hood’s pointless review. Who is going to waddle around – realistically, with 396 pockets filled with life supporting items?

I can see it now ….. the SH’sTF & I am rummaging through the zipped, snapped, buttoned & velcro compartments, getting pocket lint stuck under my fingernails and say to myself “Gee, I’m sure I packed my …. WTF? Who put this condom in here next to my Preparation H ???” Must of been a cruel joke by my ex ball & chain trying for one final dig.

I think my daypack will do just fine. I’ll put an oversized jacket over it & tell people I am a hunch back.

However, I’ll bet Lewis & Clark would have loved Ron’s $100K ++ idiotic Hummer so they could plug in their Latte maker to take the edge off of those frigid winter nights where their subzero mummy bags & battery powered heated socks, down filled beanie and propane heater wasn’t quite cutting it.

I never carry all of my $$ in the same place. Learned it from an exboyfriend who grew up in Chicago. Keep a $20 in your front pocket. IF you are ever in a position that you couldn’t defend yourself from a robbery (possibly in a minor SHTF scenario) you give up the $20 and they usually go away.
I carry just about everything in my purse. I have no doubt I could pull a McGyver if I needed to. I also just got my CCW license. I will be carrying a .32 Berreta. Small enough for the purse. Will add a few things per your list Lint. Thank you for the post. This site ALWAYS makes me think.

Sheri, keeping some money in a separate location on your person is a good idea. It’s a lot like what banks do. The tellers in most banks have what they refer to as “bait money.” When a robber comes up to a teller’s window and demands cash, the teller gives him the bait money and he goes away happy. The teller has protected the rest of the cash in the drawer while also getting the perp to leave. BUT, and this is important, if the robber demands the rest of the teller’s money, they are trained to always give it up. Giving up the cash is better than giving up the teller’s life. So that’s something to keep in mind.

A .32 Beretta sounds like a good gun for you. Just remember that one round may not do the job, so be generous with your lead, if you know what I mean. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words.

Oh believe me Lint, I’ll pull the trigger as many times as it takes! I’m not shy ; ) I guess I forgot to mention, I usually will put $$ in my shoe or someplace they wouldn’t think of looking. I guarantee though, they won’t get it all!!

BTW, I bought a hard case for airline travel. It fits my glock in its factory case, two 50 round plastic cases (from Cabelas), my holster, leatherman and my self-defense knife. I just check it in as a bag and return everything to its place on the other side.
On a side note, the swiss army brand computer back pack has a small zippered top pocket that fits my glock and the mags perfectly. No one ever notices that pocket. Most people I work with know I carry (I carry openly in AZ and NM) but they have no idea it is in my bag when I’m at the office.

I know it seems like a lot but, its actually very little added weight. My EDC preps weight less than my laptop. I have used most of the items (or wish I had with me) in that list. My BOB rides in my truck and has enough room left in it to transfer the contents of my EDC to it, plus replacement supplies for my EDC. For example, I carry 45 rounds for my glock in my EDC and have another 200 rounds in my BOB.

I’ve seen lots of young guys with backpacks. Now I know what’s in those packs. LOL You’ve got a very comprehensive load of gear there, that’s great. If you get a whistle, be sure it’s a loud, pea-less whistle so it won’t fail in cold or wet weather.

Actually, I think a camera could be a part of EDC survival gear, although not in the usual sense. You could photograph local edible plants and make your own field guide to keep in your pocket. Or you could use the flash to temporarily blind a threatening person. (Yeah, that’s a reach.) Perhaps you could document your environment if you’re in a localized disaster. Then you could use the photos or video to educate others in case of a similar situation in the future.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving a gun in an unattended car, either. If you can’t carry a gun where you want to go, have you considered some other form of defensive weapon? Knife? Pepper Spray/Mace? Maybe a walking stick or cane? Be safe, not sorry.

There are places I may not take a firearm even with a CHL, but in most cases I can still carry a loaded magazine. My handgun is sometimes (but not often) left in the locked vehicle, locked in either the glove box or a separate steel semi-portable gun box attached to the vehicle. I don’t generally leave ammunition for the firearm, and since we drive older vehicles and don’t have a lot of bling lying around to attract attention, I feel pretty comfortable. We are in a rural area with relatively low crime rates, so your location and mileage may vary. I use one of these, purchased at a local gun store: http://www.aacfi.com/products/secureit.php

First to comment on CCW: if they don’t know you’re carrying it, there’re few places you can go without it. Personally, I think a weapon is mandatory EDC since we never know when a need will arise. Which is the purpose of carrying an EDC in the first place. But, that is just my belief, so YMMV, don’t consider me rude for mentioning it.
As to the camera- excellent idea. Aside from the mentioned uses, it’d make a good club if swung by the handstrap/shoulder sling. Always having a camera, I’d hate to leave mine behind, so it has many survival uses- and the flash to blind someone is an excellent idea, too. Not far-fetched at all. The strap couild be used as a sling or garrote- depending on need- or to tie up a BG, or as a tourniquet. Myriad uses. Ditto for the USB cords I carry: will work for a snare if needed, though temporary, or as ‘string’ (have done that one).
The thing is, IMO, that whatever we carry, try imagining at least two uses for it- necessity will dictate others.
Shy III

Miles @ endtimesreport.com suggests several items, and offers many of them. What I like best is the idea of keeping a very small bottle of water, a bandana and a safety pin. As he explains, if you are in a situation where there is a lot of dust, as in the Twin Towers falling or an earthquake, the bandana moistened with the water acts as a great dust mask. Many who escaped the TT on 9/11 had lung damage from all the dust.

I just added some new N95 face masks to my GHK/GOOD bag, and short of those I think the moist bandana idea is a very smart one. It wouldn’t take much water to get it wet and it could really be a big help. Dust is common in earthquakes as you said, explosions of all types, of course dust storms and tornadoes, and even when I’m exploring old buildings I’ll wear a dust mask to avoid the Hanta Virus. A small bottle of water would be easy to carry in a purse or bookbag or even in a pocket. Yeah, I like that simple idea. Besides, the water and the bandana and the safety pin could be used for other things as well. Multipurpose EDC gear is usually preferable to specialized gear. Something to keep in mind for our BOBs and GHKits as well as our EDC. Good one.

AMEN on CAPTCHA!!!
The problem is persistence. If you enter it incorrectly it says to go back & re-enter it. Unfortunately, all of the text is then gone. I generally compose my replies (like this one) in a word processor when I (anal retentively) spell check before copying to post. With the new CAPTCHA mechanism this has become a requirement, since I’ve either forgotten to enter the code or entered it incorrectly more than once.
MD,
I don’t know if there is any setting for this, but if it left the text in the box when you click back instead of clearing it, it would be less painful.

If it’s actually saving you some spam then I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve gotten used to it, and as I said, I always compose outside the box, so I don’t really lose anything. You might want to take a poll of sorts. It’s always security vs. PIA, and you need to do what needs to be done.

Dee, thank YOU very much for the kind words. Sorry the Catcha Coda gotcha. It got me a few times, too. I was starting to say a few bad words under my breath after the first 3 times it deleted my comments, but now I’ve gotten used to it. Funny how quickly humans can adapt, huh? 🙂

MD, I don’t like that code thing either, but if it keeps the spam at bay, then ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

On my person/belt are: 9mm with extra 13 rd mag, Leatherman Wave, wallet with a few bucks cash, bandaids, folding hunter (concealed), second knife in left hand pocket (only item), bandana in back pocket (catch lotsa nasty ‘ewww’ looks wiping nose with it).
Being a photographer, I always carry the camera backpack with 30D (sometimes two), two extra lenses, flash, battery chargers and spare batteries, assorted USB cordage, CF cards, small video camera and two extra tapes and batteries, and laptop with power supply, press passes and two 2GB flashcards for immediate transfer of pix from laptop to a more secure location. Strapped to the outside is the tripod.
That’s for the cameras.
For survival, there are so many pockets to hide ‘stuff’ it’s difficult to name all of it, but some includes…
Four books of matches, hand sanitizer and some KFC handiwipes, LED flashlight (maglite type), six Slim Jim sausage links- ten inch long or so, a fistful of chocolate bars (usually Hershey- the Halloween hand-out kind), cell phone, small bottle stuffed with aspirin/ibuprofin (combined several bottles), baggie with varied size bandaids, lip balm (which I also use on chapped hands and as wound dressing for small wounds), about 50′ of paracord- it’s a leftover chunk, so maybe 50′, ink pens and notebook. The outside pockets are perfect (specificly made for) carrying the one quart water bottles (unbreakable kind with wide mouth). If I’m not wearing it at the time, there’s a hat slid into an flap pocket, and an umbrella (yellow) does double duty as weather protection, sunshade for camera, light diffuser or flash reflector.
There have been times the pack has also contained one or more of the following: six pack of beer, several packs of cheap cigarettes and lighters. (Sounds funny, but when doing ‘research’ for some news stories, you’d be amazed what a little friendliness will accomplish.)
This is pretty much the list, which I verified as I wrote, and does get added to depending on the percieved need. Overall weight is close to fifty pounds with two water bottles.
One other note, not an EDC as considered here, but behind the seat of the truck is a .22 rifle, two boxes of ammo and five loaded magazines. Winter survival gear consists of a sleeping bag and change of sox, snowmobile suit and extra choppers- but that stuff is almost always in the truck.
Shy III

Shy III (or JSW(, that’s some list of EDC gear you have there. With all that stuff, you’re the guy I want in my foxhole when the SHTF. I also liked all the great ideas you had for your camera gear as survival tools. That’s thinking outside the box, my friend! Good job.

Is KISS egnored here. Some of these lists are…….. huge. Would situational awareness be egnored cause I had 20# stuff… stuffed in my pockets/vest/purse/computer case/cam case/fanny pack? If you can carry it and have gotten used to it.. Okay. Lintpickers set up appears more realistic, coupled with a ccw and a well fit carry rig which I suspect you’d find on the picker’s hip. You folks have gotten me to replace a pocket knief with a good multi-tool. that makes sense. would a short collection of simple prepacked items in the desk, in the trunk, glovebox, hanging on the hook at the garage door, in the locker at work… see where I going to go I’m sure… work out better? Thank You all for the imput. as for myself, I’m going to Keep It Simple……

Tomthetinker, first I have to get something off my chest. When you first showed up here I could have sworn your name was TomtheTHINKER. I apologize for getting your name wrong all this time. I guess I should slow down and read things more carefully. But having said all that, I think I may have been right all along, despite how you spell your screen name. See, you are THINKING and that’s always good. Yeah, some of the EDC stuff could be overkill or a bit unrealistic, but it’s whatever makes the owner/user feel confident. It’s as unique to each of us as our fingerprints. No harm, although it may not be right for you or me, it’s not about you or me – it’s about each individual. That’s sort of how America used to be, remember when we were treated like individuals and not merely as numbers? But I digress.

OK, since you brought it up, let me clear up something about my “piece” (as opposed to my “tool”, right MD?) That’s a private joke between me and MD since he added a few little smiley face things to my article. Anyway, where was I….or yeah. I have made it a practice to mention very little about my handguns and long guns online because you just never know who’s reading this stuff and what they can find out about you if they really want to. Unfortunatley, there is no completely anonymous way that I know of to write stuff on the internet. Somebody somewhere can learn your true name if they truly want to. So, it’s my personal opinion (and a bit of paranoia) that the less said about my personal protective devices (PPD), the better.

You can guess, however, that as a serious prepper and one who is learning new stuff all the time thanks to this blog, I am updating and improving my PPD whenever I can. Nuff said.

I didn’t see “Lifetool” Mentioned yet. I bought this about 25 years ago. It is a flat stainless steel multi tool’ It is only about 1/8 thick, 2 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches square. It is/was made by Allison Forge in Belmont Mass. It was sold as a survival tool for frequent fliers. There is no way you could get it on a commercial airliner today. It came with a belt loop leather carrying case, a fire starter lens the same size as the tool itself and an amazing little users manual. I love this thing. it is thin, has many functions, is very well made and made in the USA. It is very easily concealed and so long as you don’t go through a metal detector you are good to go.. If you can find one somewhere get it.

Yes, please. I almost always keep a tab open with Google to look at all of the neat gadgets folks mention here, and the Lifetool seems to be one of those mysterious, almost legendary, coveted pieces of equipment. A few people who have them love them, as I understand did the late Mel Tappan.

How far are you going to get with 4 measly dollars in your wallet? It’s a joke.

I have plenty of cash, a high quality pocket knife and a nice little daypack full of goodies including my passport, plus I’m a white guy (wedo) who speaks fluent Spanish so I am good in most of the US. I can also ditch into Mexico for a Corona & fish taco if needed.

My EDC bag is by Maxpedition and is a cross between an EDC and a GHB. I have basic first aid supplies up to an Izzy pressure bandage, I have good leather gloves, a multi-tool, duct tape, paracord, energy bars, extra mags for my sidearm, and a few other misc. items. I consider this to be my American Express bag as I never leave home without it.

Excellent suggestions by everyone here! For a small multi-tool I carry a small Leatherman Juice that has pliers, knife, several screwdrivers, can opener and scissors.

Something I haven’t seen mentioned here is carrying spare house and car keys in your wallet or elsewhere on your person separate from your keyrings. Most newer cars need the bulky transponder keys to start the car, but you may also be able get a flat key cut that can just open the doors. There are many situations when you might need the spare keys; you accidentally leave your regular keys in your locked house or car, keyring gets lost or stolen, you want to give someone temporary access to open your car without them being able to drive it, car jacking, major accident where keys were left behind/destroyed/misplaced, practical jokes gone wrong, etc.

Coming again from a rural perspective, we keep a complete set of house and outbuilding keys stashed on the property. With 5 outbuildings including 2 large barns no one is likely to find them, and it’s one less thing to carry and lose.

Great suggestion about the spare keys! One of those magnetic Hide-A-Key gizmos might be good to use on your car. But don’t hide it under the hood if you have a hood with a release latch inside the car. If you can’t get into the car without the key and the key is under the hood and the hood can’t be opened because you can’t get into the car….well, you see what the problem is.

MY EDC bag, which is also my GHB, is actually the Jumbo EDC bag by Maxpedition. I consider this bag to be my American Express as I never leave home without it. Basic contents are: spare mags for my Glock 19, basic first aid supplies up to an Izzy pressure bandage, good leather gloves, duct tape, paracord, multi-tool, notebook and pen (both waterproof), high energy bars, tickets for the local transit system, disposable poncho, firestarting kit, and a few other misc. supplies.

My gun, knife, cell phone and keys are always on me so I don’t really consider them to be any kind of a “kit”.

Your gun, knife, cell phone and keys would then be your true EDC, IMHO. They are always with you, so they are the things you would rely on if you were left with nothing else during an emergency. Can you add a small whistle or LED light to your keys? Having a way to communicate if the phone is dead might be helpful.

“Tickets for the local transit system” seems to say you’re in an urban area? Man, I am so screwed if the balloon goes up and I’m in an urban area. That would definitely be worst case scenario for me. Hats off to you urban survivalists. You guys have to be wily.

Failed to mention the flashlight that resides on the belt with the gun. =)

Yeah, I am in an urban area and I am jealous of everyone not in a metropolitan area of 1mil plus people. Looking to make the move soon someplace smaller, quieter, etc.

I know those tickets would not help me in a true survival situation, but when we look at day to day survival and not just TEOTWAWKI survival, our system here in Portland would get me anywhere I need to get if my own mode of transpo were to go down on me. In a metro area, that can be an exercise in survival all it’s own.

I have plenty of friends that don’t go into certain parts of town without a BUG (back up gun). My solution? I don’t go into those areas. Avoidance is an often forgotten survival skill in my opinion. =)

Hey, those transit tickets could be used as firestarter in a real pinch, right? You’re prepared with your usual environment in mind and that’s what EDC is all about. Hope you can make that move to a less populated area soon.

Airlines convinced me to give up purses decades ago. “In the event of an emergency landing, inflatable ramps will automatically deploy. Remove your shoes and do not carry any belongings as you exit the plane.” So now you’re somewhere in the middle of nowhere, no shoes, and your keys/ID/money are somewhere up above you out of reach. Umm, no thanks! All critical items will be on my person at all times (although I generally take them off when sleeping). This is also why I don’t wear girl clothes – not enough pockets!

Left front pocket: Handkerchief, PO box key on fob that can have other keys added as needed, coins and paper money, cell phone.

Left rear pocket: Card pack. Wallets are too bulky IME. For a long time I used a rubber band, now I don’t even have that. Currently carrying ID, credit card, magic food card, library card. Application has been sent in for state ccw permit. When cards were banded, I also kept a spare $20 and 2 band-aids in the pack.

Interesting to observe people’s handedness and pocket choices – I’m right dominant, so keep primary objects (except knives and gun) in left pockets for maximum flexibility of right hand. I pull out my money/cards with my left hand so I can manipulate them with my right.

You know, I have always wondered why women carry purses. They seem to always be a bother for ladies, yet almost all women carry them. You have a very practical approach to emergencies (especially on airplanes) so you get kudos from me. Pockets aren’t always available on women’s pants and dresses, but maybe they should be. Can you start a new trend? How about pockets on everything? Sure would make EDC easier.

IMHO, I think most of this borders upon analysis to paralysis. You could prep until doomsday for every scenario & you will fall short at some point or worse, forget what you have stored.

If you are NOT mentally prepped – which to me is the single greatest component, you’ll burn up way too much energy, make too many silly mistakes and fear will be your undoing.

True & base survivalism to me is the ability to adapt & create from the existing conditions. It must become a way of thinking always & ultimately a lifestyle. I think this is where MD has evolved and his one of his great assets – not like that supposed king of survivalism Ron care-less-about-his-last-name with his $100K Hummer, survival DVD series – et al.

History provides some excellent survivalism references – Lewis & Clark, Jim Bridger and many more, in fact Viktor Frankl wrote extensively about the ability to survive (Man’s Search for Meaning) in the most dire of conditions.

To quote Anthony Hopkins from the movie The Edge – “Why do people die in the wilderness? They die of shame” not from lacking an EDC, GHK & the rest of the alphabet.

That’s a good kit you carry. I have some things I carry you might consider since a few of them have allowed me to repair a vehicle. I carry a roll of tape for making waterproof electrical connections . It’s not sticky but does stick to itself as you pull it and will fix a radiator hose and even an oil line and just about anything carrying fluid and a roll of regular electrical tape. I carry a few hose clamps 3/8″-1″. I carry several OTC meds including condoms that can be used for many purposes other than the original. I carry a little bottle of electrical connectors, esp. butt splices and a small set of wire strippers, cutters, screw cutters. I take the top from a can of something like disc brake cleaner or B-12 Chemtool that are very small and fill it with a tight roll of emery cloth. A very small SS hammer with a set of screwdrivers that screw into each other and into the handle of the hammer. I keep the same Red Victorinox knife you do. I have much more stuff I won’t list since they’re repeats of what you have. If you have room to put a partial roll of duct tape in your kit(I don’t), you can keep it in good shape and keep it from having other things stuck to it by wrapping a plastic wrap around it. I carry a few ziploc bags that take up nearly no space. I keep a mirror in a soft case like the ones HVAC supplies give out to customers. These are mighty handy and can be used to look behind things as well as a light source or a signal. I carry a lighter even though I don’t smoke and intend to get a flint and steel also. I carry a large knife as well as a set of needles of all sorts, some very thing and strong fishing line called Gorilla Braid or there are several different brands that would work well to sew whatever you need to including a wound. I carry antibacterial cream, antifungal cream and band aids. I have a small pair of scissors with a cover over the end as well as toenail and fingernail clippers. Big toenail style clippers can be found at fishing shops that are made for cutting fairly large line. I try to keep a tiny tube of instant glue also. Since a briefcase lets everything get together, I use a fairly small woman’s purse that has all sorts of compartments and serves to keep things apart and always in the same place. I keep all types of personal articles such as lip balm, etc. If I have to stay with someone in the hospital I can just sling this over my shoulder and have all those things you don’t normally have but seems like someone always needs in these situations. When my father was in the hospital I carried this purse that just completely disgusted my older sister and made my oldest sister get a good laugh because of it’s effect on my elder sister. My eldest sister knew I was a walking toolchest and EMT with everything I was carrying. I also have an Ace bandage in it. In the winter I will store a couple of reuseable chemical handwarmers as well as a couple pair of surgeons gloves. I’ve been with people who had a fuse go out in their vehicle and naturally didn’t have one but I have one of each size. Anyway, this is just some of the things in that purse that will get me through some really bad times.

Brent, you are one brave dude. I would not be caught dead with a purse, but whatever works for you. As for all that stuff you carry, yeah you could probably repair just about anything.
You would be a real asset in any bad situation.

What is the brand name of the tape you carry? It sounds like it could replace all of the several different types of tapes I carry in my GHK.

By the way: you might want to wrap your credit cards with aluminum foil. My Debit card got scanned while in a Walmart recently and by the time my bank called me they had racked up over $400. Since I’m using cash these days it was easy to pinpoint where and when it happened. They caught these guys a few days later. They had a van setup that they used to go to Walmarts, scan cards in peoples pockets/purse and start using them immediately. Didn’t even need to make fake cards – just made online purchases with in-store pickup.
A local LEO told me that aluminum foil defeats the scanners and is a lot cheaper than ‘scan-proof’ wallets. Also he said there is a new scanner that can pick up unlock codes from car key fobs so they can unlock doors and start cars with keyless ingnition. I’m trading my car in for an old Bronco or Blazer or van!

That’s a good point. This is only needed if your credit card contains an RFID chip. These chips make it convenient to use, but have an obvious flaw. Check with your CC vendor to find out if your card has an RFID, and if so take precautions, like the aluminum foil. Note that newer passports also have this issue, and they make special wallets for them with the foil (faraday cage) built in.

Dee in OK, thanks for the information. Having some aluminum foil in my wallet (wrapped around my debit card) could be useful for lots of things. Hey, maybe those bad guys just helped us with our EDC?? :0

I wonder if you put a large piece of tinfoil in the dollar bill section of your wallet, would it protect all your credit cards at once when you folded the wallet? Or would each credit card have to be 100% individually covered?

A piece of aluminum foil in the dollar bill section would help, but would not be 100% guaranteed effective. If the scanner was edge on to the wallet it could possibly read one or more cards. You can however wrap more than one card stacked together, making sure that all sides are wrapped, like you’d wrap a present.

I carry in a hip pouch attached to my belt: a wallet, cell phone, Spyderco resilience folder, a pen, bic lighter, chapstick, keys, and a solar powered keychain light. It’s lightweight and stays out of the way. I also carry pocket lint in my pocket (of course) and in my belly button for fire tinder.

Whoa there, Ben, the belly button info is a little more than I care to know. LOL But now you know how I came by my screen name. (Shhh, don’t tell anybody)

Does your solar keychain light stay charged all day while it’s inside the pouch? IOW, will it work when you really need it to? A belt pouch seems like a great compromise between merely using pockets and using something bigger like a daypack. Nice.

Well, I thank eveybody who contributed to this topic and I hope you’ll send photos of your EDC to MD Creekmore so he can post them next week. You guys and gals are the greatest. It’s been a real treat to learn from you and to read your stories. May God bless you and keep us all from harm.

Hey there.
This is an interesting post, thanks. I second the Carabiner , also you might want to look into Altoids containers. There was a competition to see how much gear could be packed into one of them (2 spots, one was on the http://www.instructables.com). The tin is small enough to go into a pocket and metal, smaller than a pack of smokes and much better for your health as well.

I used to have a small metal/post striker that doubled as a zipper pull, it worked great, but can not find another one, that one was gotten rid of by my ex-wife (with most of my gear as well)
cheers ~Ed

WildernessReturn, I’ve seen some of the Altoid container kits you mentioned. Some of them are very impressive. In the old days, men would use an empty tobacco tin to put all kinds of small, useful items. In this day, it’s the Altoids tin. Somehow it just doesn’t have the same sense of adventure for me, but whatever works.

There are still 7 unused pockets, including two on the back meant for water bottles. I fill these when walking around, but they don’t work well for sitting or riding in a vehicle. Turns out I have a lot more blades than I realized. Need to take inventory more often, as this was a good exercise and all of the posts gave me some insight into what else might be useful to add.
The whole thing BTW, weighs just a bit over three pounds not counting loaded magazines that have their own pocket.

Lint Picker, you have a splendid little setup. Your photos are very nice, too. One thing that I would add is a single-handed, extremely lightweight fire starting aparatus called an Aviation Fire Starter. Just say that you break one of your hands or a finger or two and because you are in a great deal of pain you absolutely cannot start a fire with what you have. If your hand has been cut open a little more than expected, but nothing serious, there could be enough blood dripping down the muscles leading to your pinky, therefore dousing every attempt or hope of getting some warmth and light going that is if you are unable to cover the wound or redirect the blood away long enough to start one. The fire starter is meant for one-handed operation, is easy to use, not very long and plastic and the tinder that goes with it lights quickly and easily. Under circumstances where the wood, ground and other things are wet/moist, you may find that one of these little guys would be perfect. Get the tinder going which burns for several minutes and that might give you the time you need to work especially while in pain. In consideration of a regular old lighter, you have to keep in mind that after a short period the area where the flame comes out will get hot and it is not recommended that you keep the flame going for long spurts because the heat that is being built up can affect the rest of the lighter and thus cause it to explode. If you are already injured then you do not need another one, maybe putting out one or both of your eyes or taking off enough skin from your face, hand or arm because that will cause you to go through shock, infection if left untreated, fever and other things which would decrease your chances of survival and bring you closer to death’s door. A few lightweight cotton balls saturated in some petroleum jelly tucked in with a Swedish Fire Steel w/scraper would also suffice. You might think about using some plain, fine-grade, steel wool because once it takes off it really burns when you take a regular old AA battery and place the ends of a shank of wool on the top and bottom (one on the pos/one on the neg) ends of it.

Geez, Sally, you’ve pretty much scared me off of lighters – it could explode and burn my face off? OUCH!

Seriously, though, I like the little Peanut Lighter because it’s so small and yet very reliable. It can be used one-handed and won’t take up much room in my pants pocket. I know the fire starter you’re talking about and I think that I will get one of those for my BOB, but probably not for my EDC at this time.

Have you ever put a real copper cent on the top of a 9v battery so that both poles make contact? Don’t! That will heat up to the point of badly burning you. It’s something I learned the hard way.

There are two other one handed fire starters available that are similar to the SparkLite Aviation Fire Starter. They are the BlastMatch and the Sparkie. They are both made by the same company, with the Sparkie being the new and more compact version. A butane lighter should be OK (I carry one) because you should be using it just like the fire steel or other heat source, which is to light your tinder. Cotton balls with or without petroleum jelly, dryer lint, and steel wool will al light with a flame or a spark. The one with petroleum jelly works more like a candle and will give you a better chance of getting your fire going. I typically also carry some kiln dried shredded poplar to light from the cotton or lint. It can be found at a fabric or craft store, and is generally meant as a hypoallergenic stuffing for stuffed animals and pillows.

I have some prep stuff hid in my wallet, that might help. As well as the P38 I carry 4 prethreaded sewing needles, 2 small with black and white silk embroidery thread, 1 medium with 30 lb spyder wire fishing line, and a large upholestry needle w 60 lb test line, only about 18″ of thread/ line coiled then held to the inside of walet with the needle. A single edge razer blade, a nail file, and a plastic fresnal lens [magnifing] My EDC is a 9mm Zastava IWB @6 oclock, a NAA .22 WMR w/laserlyte in watch pocket. A leather pouch w/.22lr cylinder 5 60 grain SSS, 5 .22WMR hp’s, and 2 sets spare batteries for laser. A benchmade folder 123cm clipped to belt. A leatherman supertool in belt pouch w/ swiss army sharpening steel. Left front pocket is a buck 301 and spare change. Keyrings on a caribener w/ led that takes the same battery my laser takes. A comb and a bandana, round out my always carry kit.

The 30 is for denim, BDUs, Field jackets,nylon belt pouches, coat buttons, the 60 is for leather, boots, holster, belts, upholstry, etc. Though the last time I used the 60 it was to remove a wedding ring from a crushed hand, I got to him first before the swelling began, threaded the line between ring and finger wrapped it around the finger past the knuckle till I could pull the line easing the ring off. The spydco braided line is very thin for it’s rating, and I have it in the tackle box anyway. If it turns out to be too heavy I can allways redo it later but I’d rather err with too much strength than too little.

Lots of good info here as always. Thanks for posting the article Lint Picker. I’ve sent M.D. a couple of photos with a partial list- no offense but no one knows everything thats in my bag. The photos and list cover it pretty much Like Tony, I use a Maxpedition Jumbo EDC bag. I like the fact that I can attach other pouches to it if needed. I’ve carried a backpack for years, but always over packed them. This one helps me rethink for space and weight. I’m rather impressed by your key rings. I just can’t carry that much stuff in a pocket and my job makes it hard to carry things on my belt. Keys in a hand kerchief, Wenger backpacker in deep with a CRKT Shasta clipped high, micro wallet in front pocket and a small 1LED flashlight in the side pocket. Between that, my EDC and the supplies in my truck I “should” be able to make home.
Great posts…Thanks.

Thanks, that will be great. And thanks for allowing me to post so damn many replies to the comments. It was lots of fun -good people here, except for one antagonist who seems to have a chip on his shoulder. Oh well, can’t please them all. lol

I put 3 lbs of blackbeans into a 2 liter pop bottle for easier storage. I put the bottle in a tub to keep out of the sunlight.I cleaned my wifes marlin 22,and attended a online trafficschool today.That took over 6 hours,but I need my licens to keep my job so it is survival related.I excersised a littel today and I plan on keeping that up. I want to lose some fat mass and add to my musclemas.alot easier to pack muscle then fat.I gotta get started on my bov this winter. Steve

I’m right there with you on better fitness. It’s probably one of our most important survival tools and possibly one the toughest to maintain. Especially as one moves on in age (and man do I feel it more everyday!!)

A substitute or addtion for those adhesive ideas – 1/2 a glue stick. Just needs heat to activate, never drys out or makes a mess (unless it gets REALLY hot in your locale) in your bag. If a stronger bond is needed, just bind the pieces with thread and mix the glue in there.

Easy folding cup solution – cut the top off one of those Capri sun type of foil packages and keep folded in your wallet. Easy way to have a container for some water when standing in line and you don’t want to lose your place.

I try to keep the 6 C’s, which consists of Dave Canterbury’s 5 C’s (Cutter, Combustion, Cover, Cordage, and Container), plus my own, Compass, but have never had a good way to have an EDC container. Your Capri Sun suggestion is brilliant, and makes me feel rather stupid for not thinking of it myself. It also fits two of my top criteria of inexpensive and lightweight. Thanks so much. I’ll definitely be adding it.

You are welcome, but its not my idea, I read it at a website and agree with you – Why didn’t I think of that myself? Its been in my wallet for several years, used very occasionally – its still watertight. I got the large 11 oz. pouch. And you get it free after you drink the contents – it works pretty well.